Electric furnace



Oct. 2, 192s.

A. D. KEENE ELECTRIC FURNAGE Filed Sept. 24, 1926 5 Sheets-Sheet INVENTOR /l/V/'n D. Kee/7e wlTN EssEs;

Patented Oct. 2, 1928. l

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

'Alim D. KEENE, Oil?` WEST MANSFIELD, OHIO, ASSIGNOR T0 WESTINGHOUSE ELEC- TRIC MANUFACTURING COMPANY,

A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

ELECTRIC FURNACE.

applicati@ med september 24, 1926. serial No. 137,481.

My invention relates to electric furnaces 'and particularly to furnaces of the resistor t pe. l

An object of my invention is to provide a resistor-supporting-and-protective means to which resistor members may be secured to constitute an assembled unit before placing the same in position in an electric furnace.

Another object of my invention is to provide a plurality of resistor-supporting-andprotectlve frames which shall simplify the assembly of electric heating units in an electric furnace.

Another object of my invention is to pro,- vide resistor supporting and protective means for electric resistor members that shall be removable from an electric-furnace chamber. y l I Another object of my invention is to provide a. unitary roof structure for an electric furnace that shall facilitate the positioning of heating units in the heating chamber and the inspection of the refractory brick work in the furnace walls.

In practicing my invention, I provide a substantially rectangular metallic casing having an open to and a door opening in one of the end walls t ereof. v The bottom and walls "*0 of the casing are lined with suitable refractory heat-insulating bricks. A plurality of metallic frames, on which electric resistors are adapted to be secured, are positioned along the bottom and the side walls ofthe furnace chamber. The bottom metal,-

. lic-resistor-supporting frame serves to maintain the frames extending .along the walls of the chamber in position. Another metallic cast frame is positioned on the top of the side frames toy prevent the same from tipping inwardly at the top. Each of the cast metallic frames is adapted to support resistor heating units' on the sides thereof adjacent to the Walls of 'the furnace chamber. The metallic frames, when assembled within the chamber, form a suitable work-receiving chamber.

A unitary roof structure comprises a metallic frame work whichv supports an archbound, heat-insulating brick work that may be removable from the walls of the furnace chamber in a vertical direction and is so arranged that the metallic frame work may be secured to the metallic casing when in operative position. A vertically movable door member is provided for so closing the opening in one of the end walls of the furnace structure that substantially no air is permitted to leak into or out of the furnace chamber during operation of the furnace.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a View, in longitudinal vertical section, of the furnace structure embodying my invention; f

Fig. 2 is a front view, in partial vertical section, of the furnace structure illustrated in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a side' view, partially in section, of a resistor' supporting.- and protecting means employed in the furnace chamber illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2;

Fig. 4 is a partial front elevational view of a resistor supporting and protecting means disposed along the side walls of the furnace structure illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2,

Fig. 5 is a sectional View of the device illustrated in Fig. 4, taken along the lines V.-V; and

Fig. 6 is a view, partially in section, of a resistor supporting and protective means disposed along the bottom wall of the furnace structure illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2.

ln the drawings, a furnace structure 11 comprises a metallic casing 12, a roof structure 13, heating units 14, 15 and 16 and a vertically movable door 17.

The metallic casing 12 comprises an end wall 18, a bottom 19, a pair of side Walis 21 and a plurality of front castings 22 and 23. The castings 22 and 23 are secured together by suitable latterly extending flanges 24 (only one of which is shown) through which a clamping bolt 25 may extend. The bottom 19 is secured to the end and side walls of the casing 12 by angle irons 26 which extend around the periphery of the bottom portion of the casing 12 and are secured thereto by suitable rivets 27.

A plurality of angle-irons 28 extend across the bottom 19 and are secured thereto by suitable means, such as rivets 29. The angle-irons 28 serve to strengthen the bottom 19 and to lend rigidity thereto.

The castings 22 and 23 are provided with inwardly extending flanges indicated by the broken lines 31 and `32, see Fig. 2, which register with the side walls 21 of the casing 12. The inwardly extending anges are secured to the side Walls 21 by rivets 33.

A plurality of angle-irons 34 extend along tion 95 and an upwardly extending lug 96 to which a chain 97 is secured. A depending flange 98 serves to prevent the brick work 93 from falling inwardly into the furnace chamber. The curved'portion 95 registers with the portion 85 and the pulverulent material 86 therein to thereby rovide a sealed joint between the door on tiie furnace wall.

A lifting mechanism 100 for the door 17 comprises a pivotally mounted lever 101 that is supported by a bracket 102. The lever 101 is secured to the bracket 102 by a suitable pin 103 and has a segment 104 and a counterbalancing weight 105 secured to the respective ends thereof. The chain 97 is secured to the segment 104 in any suitable manner. By pulling downwardly upon the counterbalancing weight 105, the door 17 may be lifted vertically.

The resistor supporting and protective frames 44, 46 and 48 are preferably made of metal, such as nickel steel` that is resistant to oxidation when subjected to high tempera tures. By making the side frames 46 and they top frame 48 of a casting having a plurality of openings 62 and 63 therein, the amount of necessary material is reduced but protective and supporting means for the resistors is still provided. Since the bottom frame 44 must support material to be heat treated, I make the bottom ortion thereof solid to prevent the material being heated from coming into contact with the resistor 50 disposed thereunder. f

B removing theroof structure 13, the brick, work at the sides and the bottom of the furnace chamber 43 may be inspected, and the resistor supporting and protective frames 44, 46 and 48 may be inserted therein or removed therefrom as a unit.

My invention provides an electricfurnace in which the resistor units comprise a plu rality of removable cast frames, preferably of nickel steel, that may be placed within the furnace chamber as an assembled unit. I provide also a removable unitary roof structure that may be lifted free of the side walls of the furnace chamber, whereby the refractory heat-insulating 'material and the` heating units may be inspected with ease.

Various modifications may be made in the device embodying my invention without departing from the spirit and scope thereof` I desire, therefore, that only such limitations shall be placed thereon as are imposed by the prior art and the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. A supporting' and protective means for electric resistor heating units comprising a plurality of upwardly extending east metallic frames having a plurality of openings therein and a cast metallic frame supported by said upwardly extending frames and interfitting therewith.

2. A supporting and protective means for electric resistor heating units'comprising a plurality of upwardly extending cast metallic frames having a plurality of openings therein, a cast metallic frame supported by said upwardly extending frames and inter'- iitting therewith, said frames being provided with grooves for receiving refractory electric-insulating resistor' clamping members and means for positively securing them thereto.

3. A supporting and protective means for electric resistor heating units comprising a `cast metallic. frame, said frame having recesses therein for receiving refractory electric insulators adapted to receive an electric resistor member, and clamping means for securing said insulators to the frame.

4. A supporting and protective means for electric resistor heating units comprising a plurality of upwardly extending frame members having a plurality of openings therein, a cast metallic frame member disposed at the top of said upwardly extending frame members in interfitting relation therewith, and a cast metallic frame member disposed atl the bottom of said first named frame members in interfitting relation therewith, each of the frame membersk being provided with grooves for receiving resistor supporting and insulating members and means for clamping said members to the frame members.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this 20th day of September,

- ALVIN D. KEENE. 

